Best Performing Hospitals for Women in 19 U.S. States ID'd

Ratings based on in-hospital complications for gynecologic surgery, maternity care

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- The best performing hospitals for maternity care and gynecologic surgery across 19 states have been identified, according to the HealthGrades 2011 Obstetrics and Gynecology in American Hospitals report published online July 19 by HealthGrades.

Kristin Reed, M.P.H., Ph.D., and Catherine Spader, R.N., from HealthGrades Inc. in Denver, and colleagues identified the best performing hospitals for maternity care and gynecologic surgery across 19 U.S. states using publicly available data from 2007 to 2009. The report also identifies key statistics about the most common female surgeries.

The authors gave five-star, best-performance ratings to 461 hospitals for gynecologic surgery, 219 hospitals for maternity care, and to 30 hospitals for both. The number of cesarean sections for single live deliveries increased from 27 percent in 2002 to 34 percent in 2009. Florida and New Jersey had the highest percentage of cesarean sections compared to vaginal deliveries, and Utah had the lowest rates. Seventy-nine percent of all inpatient gynecologic surgeries from 2007 to 2009 were hysterectomies; this was a 31 percent decrease from 2002. Three percent of inpatient procedures were for urinary incontinence.

"Women can optimize their chances for receiving the highest possible quality of care by researching and comparing the clinical outcomes of hospitals and doctors in their areas," the authors write.